BC News Friends to follow

Back in the summers of my college days, I worked for a builder. For the most part, I kept the skilled laborers (carpenters and brick layers) supplied with materials. Then, there was the biggest mistake I made during my first summer. Those of you who have served in any branch of the military certainly will understand where that mistake started.One blazing summer day, Mr. Cash asked for a volunteer to drive the truck. I hesitated for a moment before saying I would do it. Then, I was told that I was in charge of the “one-wheeled dump truck” for the rest of the week. Turns out that it was a wheelbarrow — a big one. And it would be filled with “mud” (for the uninitiated, that’s the mortar/cement mix used in laying a concrete-block wall). I pushed that mud-filled wheelbarrow eight hours a day the rest of that week.The next Monday, there was a new guy on the crew. He volunteered to drive the truck. I was so glad to welcome him to the crew.I worked for Mr. Cash for three summers. I grew up in North Georgia, so it was not quite as hot as it is here in Bryan County — but it was close. Some days, we built chicken houses, 90 feet long, and then put tin roofs on them. Those were days that we all dreaded. The heat could be intolerable. One day, we were taking a late-afternoon break after being on the job site since before 7 a.m. Tired and sweaty, I was longing to hear the words, “All right, boys. Put up the tools.” As we drank water and were about to get back to work, Mr. Cash asked me, “Brad, do you see that?” I looked across the horizon at a haze as thick as fog. “Yes, sir,” I responded.“We call that laziness,” he said. “You can always see it between where you are and work.” It’s been 35 years since I worked construction, but I’ve seen laziness on the horizon since then. So many times, I have stopped short of giving full effort because it was hard. And I’ve seen others do the same thing.Paul wrote, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as if for the Lord and not for men.” He was repeating what the preacher said in Ecclesiastes: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.” God wants us to work hard at whatever we do. We give him glory as we do our best at home, work and church. May I encourage you to work as if for him? Remember this: He will reward your effort. You can count on him.